English revolution - Charles I

• Causes of English revolution- Religion

  • Divided by Anglicans and Puritans who became more influential
  • Charles was married to a Catholic and accused to being a Catholic himself
• Causes of English revolution- Political

  • Charles believed he ruled by Divine right
  • Charles was weak and over-influenced
  • Charles avoided calling parliament
• Causes of English revolution- economic

  • Ship money- charge coast counties a fee to protect them
  • Charles expanded ship money to the rest of the country and used it to avoid calling Parliament
  • Taxed without consent
  • "No taxation without representation"
• Causes of English revolution: Individual personalities

  • Several charismatic, radical men wanting to challenge royal authority
  • Oliver Cromwell John Hampden, John Pym
• Charles bypassed parliament by using loans to raise money


  1625-29
• Parliament forced child to agree to 'Petition of Right'


  1628
• Charles retaliated Petition of rights with his 11 year Tyranny


  1629-1640
• Charles's actions during 1629-1640


  1. Raised money via ship money

  2. Scots attacked due to Archbishop Laud's new Prayer book

  3. Charles recalled Parliament
• 'Short Parliament'- Commons agree and refused to help, Charles dissolved Parliament


  1640
• Charles called for Parliament

  November 1640
• 'Long Parliament' - abolished ship money, removed kings rights to dissolve Parliament, lasted to 1660


  1640
• 'Grand Remonstrance' - objections to Charles's rule


  Dec 1941
• Charles marched into parliament and arrested five MPs - attempt failed and Charles forced to leave London


  4 Jan 1642
• Charles set up battle at Nottingham


  August 1642
• John Pym

  • 1584- 1643
  • elected to parliament 1614
  • Puritan
  • Led opposition to Laud and the new prayer book
  • Involved in the attempt to impeach Lord Buckingham
  • Drafted the Grand remonstrance
• Cromwell and the New Model Army

  • created February 1645
  • First professional army
  • Open to new ideas and based on ability
  • Ran on strong religion- Puritan
  • Gave army leaders influence in Parliament
• Post-war politics on NMA

  • Parliament wanted to dissolve as it was no longer needed
  • Split between parliament and army radicals
  • 29 1647 'Solemn Engagement' stating army would not be disbanded
• Putney debates 


  Oct 1647 - Five radical cavalry regiments elected new agents to represent them in Parliament

  > not everyone agreed

  Nov 1647- Putney debates

  > Soldiers influenced by levellers and wanted major reforms

  > House of Commons more authority than the king and lords

  > Englishmen had natural rights

  > Cromwell did not want to overthrow the king - every man vote would end to chaos, only limited to landlords

  > Agitators ( new agents) felt soldiers deserved their rights
• Levellers (radical group)

  • political power should come from the people
  • Men should have the vote
  • everyone should be equal to the law, free to follow their own religion
  • Tithes (Tax to the church) and excise duties (Sales tax) abolished
• Diggers (Radical group)

  • Gerrard winstanely
  • Nobody owned property
  • Everything should be shared equally, everyone should work
  • People should live and work together in small self-sufficient communities
• Significance of trial and execution

  • Charles was tried for high treason and tyranny
  • Monarch's never been tried in a church before
  • Westminster Hall in London, Charles refused to plead to accept the Cours authority by Divine right
  • Found guilty
  • 30 Jan 1649 - Beheaded
• Significance of Cromwell and the commonwealth

  • Commonwealth- democratic state without a monarch
  • Cromwell was
  • Levellers imprisoned
  • 1650- Charles II led an uprising and failed
  • April 1653- Cromwell dissolved parliament
  • Dec 1653 Cromwell became lord protecter
  • 1658- Cromwell died , Richard became Lord protecter
• Short term impact of English revolution

  • Richard Cromwell unable to hold country
  • 1660 monarch was restored with Charles II
  • Everyone involved in trial for Charles I tried for treason
  • Charles II was tolerant of religious differences
  • Non-conformist groups were persecuted
  • James II catholic succeeded him
• Long term

  • King ruled with consent of Parliament
  • Parliamentary authority increased
  • James was deposed in the 'Glorious Revolution' 1688
  • 1689 Parliament ruled that no catholic could descend the throne, abolished in 2013